Complete Consideration of H.R. 754 – Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2011 (Rep. Rogers (MI) – Intelligence) H.R. 754 provides an authorization for all intelligence agencies and operations for the rest of fiscal year 2011.

As of yesterday, the House had finished general debate and debate on 8 of 9 amendments. The Following amendments have recorded votes pending, except for the Grimm amendment – which will be debated today:

Rogers (MI) Amendment: Would clarify that Section 411 of the bill, which provides certain authorities for Defense Intelligence Agency Expenditures, applies only to National Intelligence Program funds. Would also strike Section 412 of the reported bill, providing for the establishment of certain transfer accounts for intelligence funds

Gibson (NY) Amendment: Would require the Director of National Intelligence to submit to Congress a report containing recommendations the Director considers appropriate for consolidating the intelligence community

Hinchey (NY) Amendment: Would require the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to report to the House and Senate Intelligence panels on information it has regarding the human rights violations of the military government in Argentina that resulted in 30,000 disappearances between the mid-1970's and mid-1980's. The amendment also seeks to help shed light on the unknown fate of hundreds of Argentine children who were born in captivity and distributed to members of the Argentine security forces

Carney (DE) Amendment: Would establish the sense of Congress that railway transportation should be included in transportation security plans for intelligence agencies

Grimm (NY) Amendment (30 minutes of debate): Would commend the United States intelligence community for their successful operation in bringing Osama bin Laden to justice and their continued efforts against al Qaeda.

“I think using the debt limit as a bargaining chip is quite risky,” the Fed chief said today in testimony to the Senate Banking Committee in Washington. Failure to raise the debt limit would “at minimum” lead to “an increase in interest rates, which would actually worsen our deficit and would hurt all borrowers in the economy.”